Virtual Insanity!
by L1701E
Summary: Chapter 16 up! Complete! The West Coast Misfits run into trouble in virtual reality! Next: The final battle! RR Please! Suggestions needed badly!
1. What the Heck is This?

**Virtual Insanity!**

**Hey there, folks! L1701E here! Right here, I got a great new fic for you starring everyone's favorite team of international mutants, the West Coast Misfits! Basically, Virus is at it again! And this time, he's attacking through a new realm: the world of Virtual Reality! I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to me, Marvel Comics, and Hasbro. If you want to use my characters, let me know. And here's your quote: "Did he say Wesley? The boy?" - Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf, Star Trek: The Next Generation**

Chapter 1: What the Heck is This?

**Hi-Tech's lab in Malibu Base**

"Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy!" A young man grinned happily. He was dressed in a gray and blue uniform with various electronic devices on it. His semi-long blond hair was kept out of his face by a green headband. The headband helped keep his blue eyes out of his face. This man was Hi-Tech, a young St. Paul-born Joe who specialized in technological warfare. This was helped by a strange ability he had. As a child, he and an electronic device were struck by lightning. It altered his brain chemistry, giving him the ability to mentally access and control electronic devices. He was working on what appeared to be a helmet with a visor on it and a pair of cameras mounted on the sides.

"What're you working on, Hi-Tech?" A blonde woman in a gray uniform asked as she walked in.

"Hey, Vorona!" Hi-Tech grinned. Vorona, or Daina (as her friends called her), was a Czech-born Joe who specialized in helicopter piloting and sniping. She was once a member of the Oktober Guard, the Soviet version of the GI Joe team. The Joes and the Oktober Guard were more rivals than enemies, and they have joined forces to take on Cobra a couple times. After the USSR collapsed, the Oktober Guard broke up. Vorona had grown a great respect for the Joe team, and gladly accepted an invitation to join them. "Check it out!" Hi-Tech held up the helmet. Daina blinked.

"That is…a virtual reality helmet, correct?" The Czech Joe asked. Hi-Tech nodded like a little boy.

"Yup! What do you think?" Hi-Tech grinned.

"Hi-Tech, you are a bit late. It was already invented." Daina replied, crossing her arms.

"I know. Think about this…" Hi-Tech nodded. "These days, warfare is not just about who has the bigger guns or bigger army. These days, it's about who has the biggest technological advantage. I believe that virtual reality is the way to go." Hi-Tech pointed at a futuristic looking chair, with a red cushioned seat and back, and a pair of futuristic gloves on the seat. The gloves were attached to the sides of the chair by fiber-optic cables. Attached to the arms of the chair was a pair of computer keyboards. "Gentlemen…" He said in a booming voice. Daina raised a blond eyebrow. "BEHOLD! CHAIR!"

_He's a nice boy, but he is very strange._ Daina mentally judged. _But then again…you have to expect that from GI Joe. They are crazy, but this outfit only proves that insanity can also be a heroic trait._

"I call it…my VSC: Virtual Sabotage Chair." Hi-Tech said. "It allows a person to use virtual reality to hack into other computers and actually walk around inside them."

"How is that useful?" Daina wondered. Hi-Tech chuckled.

"It makes hacking easier." Hi-Tech explained. "You see, it does this by actually allowing a person to walk around inside a computer and interact with the data within it like it was another person. It makes introducing viruses and other program problems a lot easier and this process allows it to be done a lot more covertly. I'll show you." Hi-Tech ran to a keyboard and typed some commands into it. A humming was heard from the chair. "Watch this screen." He told Daina, pointing to the screen. Vorona nodded. Hi-Tech jumped in the chair, and put the gloves and helmet. "Rev it up, baby! Whoo!" Hi-Tech turned on the chair. Vorona blinked in astonishment as a computer-generated Hi-Tech appeared on the screen. He was standing in a solid blue room. He waved at Vorona. "Hello Vorona!"

"Hi-Tech? Is that…you in there?" She asked, completely astonished.

"Yeah. Neat, huh?" Hi-Tech grinned from the screen. "I'm now going to enter the Joes' main computer system." From his chair, Hi-Tech started typing some commands. The screen showed a purple vortex appearing in the wall of the blue room.

"What is that?" Vorona pointed at the vortex.

"This is the portal to the Joes' main computer system." Hi-Tech explained. "The programming in the chair's computers converts websites and mainframes into different interactive environments. I asked the West Coast Misfits to help me out with the virtual environment programming. I'll show you." The purple vortex disappeared. A blue, yellow, and a black vortex appeared in its place. In the middle of the vortex was a gold thunderbolt, like the thunderbolt on the chest of Kyle's costume. "This leads to Thunderbolt's personal little environment we made in this thing." Hi-Tech's virtual self walked in. Vorona saw Hi-Tech appear in a room that looked like a room in an old gym. A wrestling ring appeared in the center of it, various exercise equipment around it, a large mirror on the wall, and wrestling posters decorating the walls. The vortex materialized in front of the wrestling ring. Hi-Tech stepped out. "Amazing, huh?"

"Incredible…" Vorona nodded. What neither of them realized was that they were being watched. A small cybernetic fly was fluttering about in the lab.

**Virus's Lab**

"Interesting…" Virus noted from within his lab. The psychotic English mutant was spying on the Malibu Joes, hoping to find something he could take from them and use in his eternal quest to rid the world of the Toad and win over Althea for himself. "Virtual reality, aye? That sounds really interesting…"

"Hey Virus! How long do I have to stay in this thing!" Cobra Commander roared from his DNA repair tank. "Do you know how long I've been in this blasted thing?"

"Hey mate, calm down!" Virus snapped. "The damage Serpentor did to your bloody DNA was pretty bloody extensive. Not to mention it self-replicates all the bloody time! Besides…" Virus smirked at the tank. "You need me. I could just as easily stop the reversal and have it change you back…" He reached for a control pad next to the tank.

"Okay! Okay!" Cobra Commander exclaimed. "Sheesh…" _I never thought I'd see the day when my fate would be at the mercy of that psychotic arrogant loudmouthed Brit worm._

Well, well, well! Looks like our heroes are in big trouble! What insanity will happen next? What is Virus's plan? Can our heroes stop it? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	2. Building Problems!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Yeah, it's Virus again! I agree. That goofball doesn't know when to quit. But hey, he hates the Misfits, so he'll try anything to get rid of them. And besides, I want to establish Virus as a supervillain in his own right. He has face off against all three Misfit teams, you know. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can't wait for the new chapter of "X Kat: The Mutant Squadron"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Yeah, I was inspired by Tron a little bit. For its time, Tron was a very ahead-of-its-time movie. I saw a lot of it one time on TV. I didn't really get it, but the special effects were pretty cool. Very trippy, with the blue glowing suits and the flying thingies that looked like the front entrances of courthouses. Yeah, Virus is going to drive our heroes mad in virtual reality. As for Mainframe and __Arcade__, I have no plans for them. Arcade is not a Misfit yet, and Mainframe's in the Pit. Did you know in the new Joe comics, Mainframe is now deceased? He and Flash got killed in an explosion. And yes, Cobra Commander is still in the tank. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I thought the "BEHOLD! CHAIR!" line would be good for a laugh. I was inspired by a TV show called "Aqua Teen Hunger Force". It's an animated show about a shake, meatball, and a bag of fries that live in __New Jersey__ and get into misadventures alongside their balding fat hairy neighbor Carl. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Slugs and Snails", "Welcome to the __Enchanted __Land__", and "Little Shop of Mutants"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice hearing from you again! Yeah, there is definitely going to be a lot of trouble! Knowing Virus, he's not going to make life very…pleasant for our heroes. Not if he can help it. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Memories Are Made of This", and "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff"!_

_To Raliena: Hey there Rae! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, the madness shall go on! Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "I've got a full house - and you've got an empty wallet." Ripcord to Ace, from the GI Joe episode "Money to Burn". And Happy ****St.**** Patrick's Day to all!**

Chapter 2: Building Problems!

**Virus's Lab**

"That bloody human thinks he can invent better than me, huh? I'll show _him!_" Vincent James, the insane teenage English Dreadnok known as Virus, grumbled as he picked up a wrench from a bench in his worklab. Virus was a mutant Dreadnok, and their resident techno expert. Virus had an instinct for invention and the power to transform himself into living binary code. In this state, he could inhabit electronic devices and control it from within, like a ghost inhabiting a person. He also happened to have some mental issues. He was obsessed with Misfit leader Althea "Wavedancer" Delgado, and the delusional mutant believed that they were in a relationship, and her boyfriend Todd "Toad" Tolensky, had stolen her away from him and brainwashed her.

"What're you doing?" Cobra Commander asked Virus. Virus grumbled and brushed some of his long brown hair out of his face. The scrawny Brit narrowed his green eyes at the tank containing Cobra Commander.

"According to me spy cam Commander, that filthy walking simple-minded pile of protoplasm called Hi-Tech invented a way to use virtual reality to hack into computer systems." Virus started.

"Don't they use virtual reality in video games?" Cobra Commander asked from within his DNA repair tank. He'd been in it for quite some time. During the whole Cobra-La fiasco **(1)**, Serpentor used spores to transform the terrorist leader into a snake. He was rescued by Virus after that whole thing. When he had gained a lot of his humanity, Virus revealed that he saved the Commander because he didn't think Golobulus would be a good leader. Virus's mutation had the side effect of sometimes making him feel dirty around organic life, as if his mutation was slowly making him think he was a machine.

"Nintendo tried something like that. Called it the Virtual Boy, I believe." Virus remembered. "Yeah, called it the Virtual Boy, they did. It was a pile of bollocks! However, I did steal one from a pawn shop and modify it into a death ray once." Virus grinned madly. "Now if only I could remember where I put the bloody thing…If I could find it, I could test it out on some Vipers…"

_And they say I'm a lunatic._ Cobra Commander mentally grumbled. "What're you working on, Virus? A new way to kill Toad?"

"Ah, Id' thought you'd never ask, Commander!" Virus grinned. He pointed to a virtual chair. "I'm working on a duplicate of that bloody Joe Hi-Tech's chair, only with a major modification."

"Like what? The ability for you to actually not be lame?" Cobra Commander mocked. Virus snarled.

"Watch it Commander…" Virus snarled. "Keep in mind, _I'm_ the reason that you're on your way back from being a bloody muck-drinking swamp-dweller like the Toad! As long as you're healing in that bloody tank, you are _mine!_ And don't you **ever** forget it!"

_Just you wait, you lame-brained arrogant little worm._ Cobra Commander mentally growled. _You're right about one thing. As long as I'm in this tank, I'm at your mercy, but you can't keep me in forever. Once I get out and get back control of Cobra, I'll make your meaningless little life **miserable!** You think you can get one over on me, Virus? Think again, you brat!_

"Anyway…" Virus calmed down. "I modified the chair into a solid. I don't _need_ to sit in a VR chair to interact with virtual reality. Powers and all." Virus smirked smugly. "I modified this chair so that the chair will release a virus that'll trap the Joes and those bloody West Coast Misfits in virtual reality. Once those bloody inferior lifeforms are trapped inside virtual reality, Malibu Base will be defenseless!"

"And how will you trap the Joes, Virus?" Cobra Commander snickered.

"I have me ways." Virus smirked.

**Hi-Tech's Lab, Malibu Base**

"_La da deeee, la de da deeeeee…_" Hi-Tech hummed as he fixed up his chair. "You know…I could adapt video games to this thing. It would be interesting what Super Mario Brothers 3 would look like in VR. I'd love to see a video game version of that. Raccoon Mario rules!" Hi-Tech hummed happily as he worked on his chair.

"Hello, Hi-Tech." A red-headed teenage girl walked into the lab, her voice containing a Scottish accent. This was Rahne Sinclair, a former X-Man, and now West Coast Misfit codenamed Wolfsbane. She had the power to transform into a werewolf at will. "What are ye doing?"

"Hello, Wolfsbane." Hi-Tech smiled. "What's up?"

"Nothing. They sent me tae come pick ye up." Rahne replied. "They want ye to come in tae to the mess hall for dinner."

"What're they serving?"

"Tacos." Rahne smiled.

"TACO NIGHT! WHOO-HOO!" Hi-Tech whooped.

**(1) - See "GI Joe: The Movie, Evo-tized!"**

Well, well, well! Looks like ol' Virus is plotting! What insanity will happen next? What is Virus up to? Can our heroes stop it? What role will Hi-Tech play? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	3. Method to the Madness!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Yeah, I agree with you on that. Virus is really a few chips short of a motherboard. And the number of chips he's missing increases every day. Yeah, I could imagine Hi-Tech as a rather fun-loving, happy-go-lucky kind of guy, based on "Valor vs. Venom". Hi-Tech in that movie to me looked like a fun-loving guy. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Haretrigger: Hey there Haretrigger! It's been a long time since I last heard a review from you, although your e-mails are really cool to read. Yeah, I knew that about the title of the story. "Virtual Insanity" is the title of an old Jamiroquai song. I struggled to come up with a title for the story, and "Virtual Insanity" fit it to a tee, so I used it. I agree, Virus and virtual reality is not a good combination. You bet Virus will be in his element in virtual reality. Virus's mutant ability is technological-based, and in virtual reality, he could have god-like power because of his power to transform into living binary code. Yeah, Virus is no quitter, I can give him that. Virus is one of my favorite creations. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for the new chapter of "Thesis of a BlackWinged Angel"! You all should read it. It's a good fic. One of my characters is in it!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "Welcome to the __Enchanted __Land__"!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I agree with you, Virus is messing a few memory cards from his old Gamecube. More like a few hundred memory cards from his Gamecube. He's already hearing voices in his head. I'm really glad you liked the last chapter, Red! I'm making this story up as I go along, and I really don't know where to go next. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and "Memories Are Made of This"!_

**Disclaimer: "Maybe they don't like you either, Paul." - Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, Rocky III**

Chapter 3: Method to the Madness!

**Virus's Lab**

"Let's just make some minor adjustments…" Virus mumbled to himself as he kneeled down near his chair with a soldering iron. "Let's see now…here…" He started to use the iron on the chair.

"I can't believe that I am stuck in this stupid DNA-repair tank." Cobra Commander grumbled from his DNA repair tank. "I should be leading Cobra to victory! Oh God, now I'm starting to talk like Serpentor. I gotta get out of here!"

"I dunno, mate." Virus smirked. "Personally, _I_ think I'd make a great leader for Cobra."

"Really." Cobra Commander said snidely. "And what makes you say that?"

"Well…" Virus's ego enjoyed the stroking. "I'm intelligent…I'm capable…I know what I want…I only expect the best…And unlike Serpentor, whose face keeps changing and all his facial forms are ugly, I'm incredibly handsome, in that Johnny Depp kind of way, of course."

"_BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!_" Cobra Commander howled with laughter. "_You!__ You leading Cobra!_ That's a laugh! You can barely lead ants to a picnic!" A growl escaped from Virus's gritted teeth. "You must not look in a mirror much, boy! You're not _that_ much of a looker! You look more like Andre the Giant than Johnny Depp! Only difference was, unlike you, Andre the Giant actually got dates! **_AHHHHHH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!_**" Cobra Commander laughed happily. Virus's face turned bright red with rage. He got up, picked up a lead pipe, stomped up to the tank, and whacked it with the pipe, making a loud clang. "HEY! What was **that** for?" Cobra Commander yelled loudly.

"I want you to keep in mind one bloody thing, Commander." Virus snarled to the tank. "I'd advise you to cease and desist making all those bloody jokes about me! Every day, I wake up and I want to die because the woman I love is trapped in the clutches of a muck-drinking, swamp-dwelling monster! She was the only thing in me life that was good to me! I decide to live every day because I refuse to give that demonic Toad the satisfaction of knowing I'm not around! So if you don't stop making fun of me, I'll switch the tank into reverse and de-evolve your arse into something even lower than a snake: A BLOODY FROG! **YOU GOT ME?**" Virus snapped in rage.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh!" Cobra Commander tired to calm the enraged inventor. _Man, this kid is paranoid._ He decided to change the subject. "So…how do you plan to beat the Malibu Joes and the West Coast Misfits, heh heh?" Virus calmed down and smirked when he heard that statement.

"Easy, mate." Virus smirked. "I plan to use me VR chair to sabotage Hi-Tech's chair. The next person who sits in will end up trapped in virtual reality. Then…" Virus held up a brown bag that was on the table. "I'll travel to the base via wireless connection, and whack those other bloody fools with these." Virus pulled out a small black shiny disc from the bag. "This is a remote VR system. Plant this on someone, and it will trap their minds in virtual reality. I plan to use their VR system to enter the base, and trap all their minds. Once they're trapped in VR, I'll destroy their minds. If their minds are destroyed, their bodies will be mindless husks. Malibu Base will be lifeless." Virus smiled proudly. "Those filthy West Coast Misfits and Malibu Joes will be a pain in Cobra's neck no more, and from there, we can eliminate the original Joe and Misfit teams." Virus snickered. "Ahhh, killing people is so much fun." _I'm going to go torture those freaks in virtual reality. I shall make those West Coast Misfits **pay** for humiliating me!_

**General Whithalf's office, Malibu Base**

"So, what is this thing you have going on again?" General Whithalf asked Hi-Tech in a confused manner as he turned the helmet upside down and around and around. Hi-Tech was sitting across from him. With them was a teenage blonde girl dressed in a green t-shirt and blue jeans, and a cat-like teen boy dressed like an 80s rocker and his brown with black-tipped hair that resembled the mane of a lion. He also happened to have a blue 8-pointed star birthmark over his right eye. The girl was Theresa Rourke, a second-generation mutant who led the West Coast Misfit team. Born and raised in Ireland, Theresa possessed the mutant power to generate sonic vibrations in the form of a powerful sonic scream. She was known as Siryn. The boy was Ace Starr, a Los Angeles native. He was a feral mutant with a feline mutation. He had enhanced abilities, enhanced senses, and the power to fire blue lasers from his claws.

"It allows us to use virtual reality to hack into enemy computer systems, General." Hi-Tech explained.

"Sounds like some of those new-fangled video games to me." Whithalf scratched his head. "I like those games with that nice little Italian plumber and that friendly-looking little blue hedgehog."

"That would explain the Super Mario plushies in yuir desk, sir." Theresa giggled. "They're really cute." Ace started whistling the Super Mario theme. Hi-Tech started laughing.

"Quite." Whithalf snickered. "So, when do you plan to test this out?"

"I've been working on this thing for quite a while now." Hi-Tech replied. "It's…sort of my pet project. I could use a person to help me test it out."

"I'll see if I can find somebody." Whithalf grinned.

"Maybe you kids can help me." Hi-Tech offered.

"Uh…" Ace and Theresa looked at each other.

"Umm, Hi-Tech, uhh…" Ace started.

"We know that ye are…capable…uh…" Theresa continued.

"But…um…you see…the Joes have…a record…" Ace added.

"Their inventions…tend to…act…uh…act up…uhm…" Theresa finished.

"BYE!" The two teenage mutants ran out of the office as fast as their legs could carry them. General Whithalf and Hi-Tech blinked.

"Nobody ever wants to help me." Hi-Tech pouted.

Well, well, well! Looks like Virus's little plan has come together! What insanity will happen next? Can our heroes stop Virus's plan? Who is Hi-Tech's test subject going to be? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	4. Sneak Attack!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Haretrigger: Hey there Haretrigger! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, Hi-Tech is following a long line of Joe inventors. I agree with you, they should hand out disclaimers and waivers to anyone who agrees to help Airtight or Hi-Tech. Virus would be in his element in virtual reality. I'm trying to establish him as a supervillain in his own right. I think he could pull it off. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there Rogue! Yeah, Virus doesn't quit, man. He really doesn't know when to give it up. And you know, I guess Hi-Tech knew what he was in for when he agreed to join the Joes. Don't worry. Virus will get what's coming to him. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for the new chapter of "X Kat: The Mutant Squadron"!_

_To Metal Dragoon: Hey there Metal Dragoon! Nice to hear from you again! I read the new chapter of "Take the Long Way Home", and I loved it! Kid Razor rocked in the chapter! You based Biker on Beelzemon, didn't you? It was really great! I also read "The Greatest Weapon". It was awesome! Maybe I can have Decoy or Scratch make a guest appearance somewhere. Actually, I do have someone in mind already for the test subject, heh heh. I do agree with you, Firestorm in the virtual world would be scary, yet safer. It's a lot easier to handle Firestorm driving a virtual Firerunner than a real life one. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for the next chapter of "Take The Long Way Home"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Yeah, I thought some Virus/Cobra Commander banter would be good for some laughs. Cobra Commander doesn't have a lot of choice when it comes to being in that tank. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, with all its insanity. I love Super Mario Brothers, too. Who will be the test subject? Find out next! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there Sparky Genocide! Actually, I have plans for CC in the future, yes I do. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I read the new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical" and I loved them! Poor Remy, Scott, and Alex. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can't wait for new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Slugs and Snails", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there Red! I read the new chapter of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and "Memories Are Made of This", and I loved them! Poor Scott and Jean! I think I may know what to do now! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and "Memories Are Made of This!"_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Actually, I think reptiles are higher on the evolutionary scale than amphibians, but don't tell Toad that. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "DRAGO!" - Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa, Rocky IV (A great movie!)**

Chapter 4: Sneak Attack!

**Hi-Tech's lab, Malibu Base**

"No way!" Hardcase roared. Malibu Base's third-in-command was being strapped into Hi-Tech's Virtual Sabotage Chair. He was being strapped in by Hi-Tech and Vorona. "No way! I am **not** doing this! I am **not** going to be some guinea pig for some screwy virtual reality experiment!"

"I do not believe you have much choice." Vorona explained to Hardcase as she continued strapping the Green Beret in. "Besides, it was either you or me." Hardcase glared at the blonde Czech.

"Ever heard of taking one for the team?"

"I have taken plenty in my time." Vorona shook her head. "I don't need to take any more for the team at this point."

"You are so supportive." Hardcase grumbled.

"Oh, relax Hardcase!" Hi-Tech grinned as he strapped Hardcase in. "I tested it on myself, and nothing went wrong. Besides, the chances of anything going wrong are next to none." Hardcase's face started to pale.

_Knowing a Joe invention, the chances are certain._ "W-w-well…what could happen if something went wrong?" Hardcase asked with some fright in his voice. Hi-Tech shrugged.

"Well…" Hi-Tech scrunched his face in thought. "Most likely, you'll get a nasty shock." He replied nonchalantly. Hardcase's face paled more. "If the worst comes to worst, in the absolute worst-case scenario, your mind will end up trapped in virtual reality somehow, leaving your body in a barely alive coma-like state. You shouldn't worry about that, though. That only happens to villains and characters no one likes in comic books." Hardcase's face became very taut, his eyes widened, and his face turned a very pale white. Vorona groaned. Hi-Tech looked up at Hardcase's face. "Dude, you seriously need to learn to relax, my friend." Hardcase only squeaked. Hi-Tech shook his head. Rahne walked in.

"Hardcase, ye look like a ghost!" The mutant werewolf blinked. "Are ye alright?"

"Meep."

"Man, he needs to relax. He worries too much." Hi-Tech chuckled. "Okay, I'm going to run some final checks on this thing. I never like taking chances."

"I liked you better when you were merely fixing laptops, Hi-Tech." Vorona shook her head. "If I may be honest with you…"

"Go ahead. Compliment me on my awesomeness." Hi-Tech snickered.

"I started worrying about you when you decided to take a page from that Joe Airtight and start inventing." Vorona shook her head.

"Actually Daina, I didn't invent virtual reality. It's been around for years, for usage in combat and flight simulations and in video games. I'm just giving it a real usage in combat." Hi-Tech explained.

"Nick's Arcade has a couple of those games. One of them is a fun helicopter game." Rahne smiled. Vorona chuckled and mussed up Rahne's hair. "Hey!"

"Anyway, I ran some checks, and it looks good." Hi-Tech nodded. "Let's do it." With a grin, Hi-Tech activated the Virtual Sabotage Chair. A computer-generated version of Hardcase appeared on the screen.

**In the virtual world**

"Hey…" Hardcase looked around. "Well…" He lifted up a leg and started shaking his foot. "This is new…"

"How you doing?" Hi-Tech's voice was heard. "You feel alright?"

"I feel a little weird, but fine." Hardcase answered. "It's funny. I feel like I'm in a video game or something."

"That would be so neat to be in a video game." Rahne's voice was heard.

"Aren't they developing a video game starring you West Coast Misfits?" Vorona's voice piped up.

"Yeah. I saw some of the prototype. It looks awesome! It's like Street Fighter meets Legend of Zelda." Hi-Tech grinned. "Hey…what's that?"

"What?" Hardcase turned around. He saw a familiar face grinning. "You!"

"That's right, human." Virus grinned. "The Virus has come to infect **_YOU!_**" He cackled as he waved his hand. Tendrils of liquid metal erupted from the ground around Hardcase and they formed a cage.

"Hi-Tech! Pull Hardcase out!" Vorona exclaimed. Hi-Tech, in a panicky manner, tapped away at his keyboard.

"I can't!" Hi-Tech exclaimed. "The little snotbag blocked me out!"

"You bloody think that I wouldn't be prepared for that?" Virus smirked. "I got one of you…now all I need to bloody do is catch the lot of you, and then, you're mine."

Well, well, well! Looks like our heroes are in trouble! What insanity will happen next? How can Virus catch the rest of the Malibu Joes and the West Coast Misfits? Can they stop him? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	5. Viral Rule!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Indeed. Virus has one down and several more to go! He's going to make quick work of it, though. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new one, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Tales From The Magic Roundabout", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Slugs and Snails", and "Little Shop of Mutants"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I read the new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff" and "Memories Are Made of This", and I loved them! So **that's** how the feud between Althea and Zanya began, and maybe Jinx and Jean had the same voice actress. Oh yeah, our heroes are going to be in big trouble! Yeah, I can imagine that Whithalf would be causing Virus a lot of problems in the game. I basically do have a plot now for this fic. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and "Memories Are Made of This"!_

**Disclaimer: "I never met a man I didn't like." - Will Rogers**

Chapter 5: Viral Rule!

**Hi-Tech's Lab, Malibu Base**

"Hi-Tech, ye have tae get Hardcase out of there!" Rahne exclaimed at the blond technological operations expert.

"I'm trying, Rahne." Hi-Tech said to the Scottish-born red-haired mutant werewolf. "But that idiotic little snot Virus keeps blocking me out!" On the screen, the silver cage holding Hardcase expanded, as if it was preparing to hold quite a lot more people.

"Get me out of here!" Hardcase's yell could be heard from the screen.

"I've been reading the files of this little virtual reality program…" Virus announced. "Interesting…a prototype video game starring the West Coast Misfits, aye? Sounds like _this_ could make some interesting stuff…In fact, that gives me an idea…mind if I come and visit?"

"What the-?" A shadow covered in glowing electronic green binary code leapt out of the console, causing Hi-Tech and Rahne to jump back a bit. The shadow transformed into a certain teenage psychotic English Dreadnok with a futuristic backpack on his back. The shadow had turned into its human form of Virus, complete with Battle Pack.

"Hello, me friends." Virus grinned crazily. "I hope you've had a wonderful day so far here in sunny California, because it's the last sunny day you'll ever see." Rahne growled. She started to shift into her werewolf form to take Virus on, but a gun with a circular nozzle popped up from a panel on Virus's Battle pack, and folded itself so it was over his shoulder. A sound like a pistol with a silencer firing was heard as the gun fired a small black disk at Rahne. The disk hit the transforming girl, and she fell to the ground.

"Rahne!" Hi-Tech exclaimed. Virus's gun fired another black disk, and once it hit Hi-Tech, it sent the Joe's mind to virtual reality, and Hi-Tech's body slumped to the ground. Virus smiled happily. "Oh boy oh boy oh boy!" Virus jumped up and down gleefully, clapping his hands in some form of some bizarre dance. "_I'm gonna kill some Joes and Misfits, I'm gonna kill some Joes and Misfits…_" Virus continued his bizarre song-and-dance routine as he left the room.

**The Virtual World**

Rahne materialized in a virtual reality world.

"Where am I?" Rahne looked around. She found herself in… "Is this…Scotland?" She found herself on a highland like the highlands of her native Scotland. The sky was bluish-black, and it was lit by a full moon, slightly obscured by clouds. Some big clouds rolled through the sky. A fog rolled over the ground. The sounds of owls were heard hooting. She saw a large fearsome-looking black castle in the background. "Och, this is spooky…" Rahne wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm. She looked around and familiarity sparked in her eye. "Oh, wait…this does look familiar…"

**West Coast Misfit Manor, yesterday**

"Hey guys!" Hi-Tech ran into the West Coast Misfit Manor, carrying a disk. "Look at this thing! I got it from a friend of mine!"

"What is it?" The Apache super-athletic mutant born John Proudstar and codenamed Thunderbird asked from his position. He was playing a video game alongside the Compton-born speedster/aerokinetic born Terrell Mason and codenamed Velocity.

"This I gotta see!" Terrell grinned. He leapt off the couch and yelled into the kitchen door "Yo Rahne! Come out here! Get a load of this!" Terrell ran back to the couch.

"I'm comin'!" Rahne called from the other side. She walked out to the living room, wiping her hands with a dishcloth. "Terrell, ye had better get yuir bum in the kitchen once I am done washing the dishes. It's your turn to dry them today."

"What?" Terrell blinked. "I thought it was Ace's turn today!"

"Ace dried the dishes yesterday." Rahne told the speedster. "What is it, Hi-Tech?"

"It's a prototype of a video game." Hi-Tech grinned.

"I'm not surprised." John chuckled. "You get that kind of stuff all the time. You also have that famous episode with Geraldo where he got into a fight with those skinheads and got his nose broken."

"It's not just any video game." Hi-Tech grinned. "Let me show you guys." The computer expert ran to the video game system and changed the disc in it. Then Hi-Tech grabbed the controller and started playing a little. The screen showed a teenage kid wearing a knight's breastplate over a green t-shirt, blue jeans, helmet, gauntlets, and was carrying a sword and shield. Hi-Tech played through the level, having the kid slash zombies, skeletons, and suits of armor until the character went into a room.

"Is that…me?" Rahne blinked at the screen. She saw what appeared to be herself on the screen, talking to the kid character.

"Yeah." Hi-Tech grinned. "You see, I was given this prototype level from a game company that a couple friends of mine work at. They wanted to create a game based on the West Coast Misfits. It's a combination platform and RPG."

"And let me guess, that's me level?" Rahne chuckled.

"Yeah." Hi-Tech nodded. "Your level is kind of like the Scottish Highlands meets Army of Darkness." Rahne snickered.

"Mr. Cassidy loves that movie. He'd be very tickled ta see me fighting Deadites." Rahne giggled.

**The virtual world, Present Day**

"Now I remember! This was me level from that West Coast Misfit game. At the end of the game, the character met me, and the character asked me help. I said if he beat me in combat, I'd help." Rahne looked around. "Well, what do ye know?" She picked up a chestplate. She found a helmet, sword, gauntlets, and shield nearby. "These are cute…" She put the shield down. "But I won't need these." She tried to activate her powers. With no luck. "Hey! Me powers! I cannae use me powers!"

"That's right, mate? Ain't _that_ a real pain in the bum?" An English-accented voice laughed.

"Virus!" Rahne snarled.

"That's right, mate. Don't bother looking for me. I'm just everywhere!" Virus giggled madly. "You like? This is based on that video game prototype that Hi-Tech was messing around with. I believe you know what to do next. I disabled your powers to make the game more fun."

"Ye're twisted!"

"Actually, I prefer to think of meself as reasonably eccentric." Virus's voice mocked. "Aww, don't worry Rahne. There's a secret in this level: If you find the Full Moon Gem hidden in the castle, you'll get your powers back. It may be a help to fight the boss. And I would be quick if I were you." A digital clock appeared in the air displaying one hour. "I trapped all your Joe friends in VR. If you don't get your powers back and find them in that hour…they're dead. And if their minds die here, their bodies will be brain-dead." Virus cackled. "Good Luck, Rahne!" Rahne snarled, grabbing the chestplate.

"Ye're a dead man, Virus. Arrogant little spaleen is gonn end up losing his _spleen_ when I get through with him!"

Well, well, well! Looks like Virus had laid down the terms! What insanity will happen next? What other wacky worlds are our heroes in? Can our heroes save the day? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	6. Wild, Wild West!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there Sparky! Nice to hear from you again! Virus having an army of killer IRS guys? That's not really his style. Although I may have an idea to do a tax man-type villain. That could work. Who doesn't like the thought of a tax man-type bad guy? Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Firefly25: Hey there Firefly! Nice to hear from you again. Oh yeah, there are so many video games that can be paid tribute to. I wouldn't be surprised that Virus's little screw-up brain creates some weird video game combinations. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to beta-read the new chapter of "Reindeer Flotilla"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there Aaron! Yep, Rahne's in her little Scottish Highlands-based level. I think she'll be fine. Yeah, Virus is missing a few hundred sandwiches. He should get a good pounding. Enjoy the new chapter, and where's the story you promised?_

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again! Don't worry, Virus will get what's coming to him. Toad's busy and…Optimus Prime…Hmm…I just may have an idea! Ace is a feral mutant, and he is Paul and Craig's cousin. There's a lot of superhero families in the superhero world. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there todd fan! I read the new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical" and I loved them! Hasn't it ever occurred to Liz to just simply walk up to __Logan__, strike up a conversation, and **ask** him out on a date? I'm sure she can talk about something __Logan__ might like…like beer…or killing things. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Yeah, Rahne rules. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can't wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "Tales from the Magic Roundabout"._

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I read the new chapter of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and your one-shots, I loved them all! I had a feeling Sgt. Snuffles would play a role in the big battle. Yeah, I kind of was thinking of doing that. Think of who Rahne has as a mother. And that woman brandished machine guns in the comics! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can't wait for a new chapter of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff", and any other stuff you do!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new one!_

**Disclaimer: "You are one ugly mother…" - ****Arnold**** Schwarzenegger, Predator**

Chapter 6: Wild, Wild West!

**A futuristic chamber**

Vincent James, the insane mutant Dreadnok known as Virus, looked out a window and smiled at the purely mechanical metropolis sprawling out below.

"It's beautiful. Not one speck of filthy organic life." Virus smiled. "Even better, no Toad. Makes me feel…like me life is now worth something."

"You're a lunatic, you know that?" Hi-Tech growled from his cell. He was trapped in a cell with the rest of the Malibu Joes.

"I have you to thank, mate." Virus grinned. "This is the final level: Cyberopolis. Me home. Form here, I launch my campaign against the world, with only the West Coast Misfits and the hero of the game to stop me. Your little game programming combined with me genius will make the perfect test."

"Bite me, nerd." Hi-Tech glared daggers at the psychotic teenager.

"Test? This is a _test_ to you?" Jester yelled. "You plan to kill us! And the kids! What've they done to you!"

"They're Misfits, that's what." Virus glared back. "You stupid humans. You don't get it, do you?"

"No we don't, Virus. Explain it to us." Kicker crossed her arms sarcastically. "You trap our minds in this overblown video game. We don't get it."

"It's simple!" Virus growled. "All me life, I was considered like me codename: an annoying little bug who just would not go away."

"Here we go…" Jester sighed to Dial-Up. The Japanese woman nodded.

"I had no friends, me family hated me…and the Toad was the worst! He beat me constantly up and down the streets of London!"

"That's impossible!" Torpedo whispered loudly. "Todd never to England in his life before that mission with that crazy 60s guy **(1)**."

"Virus is extremely delusional." Dial-Up explained. "His own delusions have become so severe that they are actually altering his memory of his own past."

"Haven't the Dreadnoks realized that this kid needs therapy?" Fusebox whispered.

"I doubt the Dreadnoks are smart enough to even notice. He looks too far gone, anyway." Vorona answered.

**A Wild West town**

"Stupid Virus…" John "Thunderbird" Proudstar grumbled and groused as he looked around the town. He heard music coming from the saloon. "And me without my cowboy hat and boots." John walked into the saloon. He saw several long bar benches all in parallel lines. A bartender was behind each line. And they were filling up beer mugs from kegs **(Author's Note: This is a video game that I played in an arcade a while back)**

"Hey kid!" A bartender yelled at John. The big Apache mutant turned around. "Catch!" The bartender slipped a beer down the table. John caught it. "We could use your help, kid. Those customers are getting ornery! They wanna drink! Help me and my boys get the beer to them! Don't drop any!"

"You're kidding me!" John snapped. "I don't have time to play waiter!"

"You had better, Thunderchicken." Virus's voice taunted. "That is…if you wish to see your precious Joe friends alive…" John snarled.

"You better start praying I don't find you boy, because if I do, I am going to rip out your spine and _hang_ you with it!" The Apache powerhouse mutant growled. He immediately got to work. He eventually was having trouble. The beers were coming faster and higher in number. "Nuts! If I could use my powers, I could easily rack up enough points!" John growled. He could use his super strength and super speed to easily carry more beers and ferry them to the customers quicker. The activity suddenly stopped. "What?" A cowboy walked into the saloon. The customers and bartenders shuddered in fright. The cowboy looked like an adult version of Virus himself. The Virus cowboy's cybernetic right eye glowed neon green. John noticed that the Virus cowboy's left hand and arm underneath his trenchcoat was mechanical. John also noticed that the Virus cowboy was carrying a tomahawk. _Oh that's great! I need that tomahawk, otherwise I can't use my powers in this world!_

"Well, well, well, mate." The Virus cowboy smirked in a John Wayne-type accent. "Looks like we got ourselves a cattle rustler."

"Oh great, not only are you a lame version of John Wayne, but you also have spit out bad machismo lines." The Apache powerhouse clenched his fists and held them up. "You have to actually have manhood to spit out those lines, boy."

"You can't beat me, mate." Virus smirked. He pointed his mechanical arm at the Native American's head. The arm flexed and folded into a futuristic Colt Peacemaker-like gun. "You got no powers. I rule here."

"I am a man. I am a warrior of the Apache." John narrowed his eyes. "You're nothing but a pathetic little worm." The revolver barrel of Virus's gun arm started spinning at high speeds, creating a high-pitched squeal. The insie of the barrel of the gun started to glow. Virus grinned evilly.

"Goodbye, John "Thunderbird" Proudstar." Virus smiled evilly. "I'll be sure to notify your family…after I turn _their_ pathetic organic bodies into axel grease." Virus fired the cannon arm.

Well, well, well! Looks like our heroes are in trouble! What insanity will happen next? Will John survive Virus's assault? Can the Joes be rescued? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!

**(1) - The East Coast Misfits joined forces with Austin Powers in "****Battle**** in ****Britain****"**


	7. Roundup at the GI Joe Corral!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue! Nice to hear from you again! Dude! If you know the answer, don't spoil the surprise, huh? Have Thunderbird tar and feather Virus, and then tie him to the __6:15__? I like that idea? I like that idea, man! I'll see what I can do with that. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to read more from you!_

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Heck, I'm glad you liked the story! I didn't think you read any of my other work! Don't worry, Thunderbird will take it to that arrogant little snot-nosed dork Virus. Virus is one of my favorite creations. If you ever want to use him in your fics, go ahead. Yeah, your idea rocked. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", "Little Shop of Mutants", and "X-Men: Evolution, The Musical"! _

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there Sparky Genocide! Nice to hear from you again! Hmm, Virus dropping a copy of "The Great Gatsby" in front of Thunderbird and it causes him to go nuts and go all out on Virus's butt…Interesting…I like that idea. I'll see if I can do anything with that. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Yeah, you bet that this is going to be wild! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to read more from you, especially new chapters of "Valor, Venom, and Other Stuff!"_

_To Metal Dragoon: Hey there Metal! I read the new chapter of "Take The Long Way Home", and I loved it! You portrayed Kid Razor really well. His character was very true. And hooray, the Hellions are beaten, and Jon and Sharon are joining the Brotherhood. That is so going to get under Scott's skin. That'll get under Scott's skin real bad. It's alright you didn't review the last chapter. My e-mail acts wonky sometimes, so I know how you feel. Yeah, Virus has a great plan this time. I agree. Virus's arrogance has always been one of the biggest chinks in Virus's armor. No doubt the man is smart and capable, but his ever-getting-worse mental illness and his arrogance are his biggest weaknesses. But then again, arrogance seems to spell the end for a lot of villains. I'll see if I can feature your virus friends somewhere. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Take The Long Way Home"!_

**Disclaimer: "Don't! Treat! Women! Like! That!" - Nicholas Cage as Cameron Poe, Con Air**

Chapter 7: Round-Up at the GI Joe Corral!

**The virtual saloon**

"Goodbye, John "Thunderbird" Proudstar." Virus smiled evilly. "I'll be sure to notify your family…after I turn _their_ pathetic organic bodies into axel grease." Virus fired the cannon arm. However, Virus seemed to have conveniently forgotten that John had more than just his powers. He was also trained by GI Joe. John managed to dodge the energy blasts from Virus.

"_Energy_-based weaponry? Hey Virus, hasn't anyone ever told you that they used _bullets_ in the Wild West?" John snapped as he overturned a table and ducked down behind it.

"I never liked Westerns. I never saw the appeal." Virus shrugged. "I was always more of a sci-fi freak. Besides, John Wayne is nothing but a drunken chain-smoking redneck."

"Oh yeah? Well, Mr. Spock is a pointy-eared Vulcan dork!" John smirked. _Nothing angers nerds more than making fun of Mr. Spock._ Virus screamed.

"DON'T! MAKE! FUN! OF! MISTER! **SPOCK!**" Virus roared, his gun arm firing faster than ever. "He's me only friend!" John barely managed to duck down in time.

"Smooth move, Proudstar." John grumbled to himself. "Real smooth. If I had that freakin' tomahawk, I could use my powers." John eyed the beer mugs all over the place. He also eyed a nearby glass shard. The apache mutant grinned evilly to himself. _Perfect…I may not have my powers, but that does not mean that I still cannot prove I am worthy of being a warrior in the eyes of my people._ He picked up the shard. "Hey Virus!" John pitched the glass shard. It hit the virtual Virus in the shoulder. While the Virus screamed in pain, John quickly leapt up and grabbed the beer mug. He pitched it, and it smashed upside Virus's head, distracting the mad mutant or a few more seconds. John then reached into Virus's jacket and pulled out the tomahawk. "Oh yeah…" John grinned as his body glowed a bright blue. The Apache could feel his powers returning. "Hey Virus! Hail to the Chief!" John nailed Virus with one huge punch.

"NYYYYYEEEEEEEAAAAAGH!" Virus screamed as he flew across town. He landed on top of a conveniently-placed barrel full of tar in front of a building wall. The shock caused an also-conveniently-placed bucket full of feathers to fall off a shelf and land on his head. "GET THIS BLOODY THING OFF ME!" John grabbed the mutant lunatic and dragged him to the nearest train tracks, grapping some rope on the way. John noticed there was a cowboy hat with the rope. With a shrug, the Apache mutant put the hat on. Thunderbird tied Virus to the tracks and checked his watch. He heard a train's whistle.

"On time for once." John snickered. He walked away as the train bared down on the screaming and cursing Virus. The train passed by, crushing the insane inventor into pixels. "Yeah!" The words "YOU WON" appeared in the sky above his head. A blue portal appeared in front of the Apache mutant, and words appeared above it saying "Enter here". John shrugged and ran through the portal.

**Cyberopolis**

"NO!" Virus screamed at the screen. "How is that bloody possible! That level should've _murdered_ that bloody Cherokee!"

"A) John is an Apache, not Cherokee. There's a difference. John _hates_ it when people call him a Cherokee. B) I haven't finished that level yet." Hi-Tech grinned. "I was planning on crazed cowboys and Native Americans."

"Oh look." Firestorm snickered. "I think the little Virus is going to have another nervous breakdown." Virus quickly turned and pointed at the red-haired pyromaniac Joe.

"YOU SHUT UP! YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" Virus screeched.

"What're you gonna do, huh? Hit me, Virus? Hit me? COME ON!" Firestorm teased.

"Knock it off, Firestorm. You're going to make the little twerp even more unraveled than he already is." Quick-Kick snickered.

"The bloody things I have to bloody put up with to bloody destroy the lot of you." Virus grumbled under his breath. "At least I'll get to use this on that bloody Toad."

"I doubt it." Dial-Up smirked. "If the Pit finds out about the sudden tragedy with us Malibu Joes and the West Coast Misfits, they will investigate."

"Let 'em come!" Virus grinned madly. "I'll destroy them all, mate!"

"Aww, he's so cute. He thinks he's a world dominator, awwwww…" Jester teased.

"YOU SHUT UP HUMAN!" Virus yelled.

"Hey man, let's not mess with him anymore. He's a very frayed mess of wires right now." Firestorm said sternly. Jester pouted, and the red-headed EOD expert smirked. "He's got no more wires left to fray." The two Joes burst out laughing. Virus yelled in exasperation.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!" Virus screeched. Blast Radius screeched happily and shot the insane English Dreadnok a rude gesture. "Okay, that's it! When that bloody hour is up…I'm gonna kill the monkey first."

"You touch the monkey, you will _die_, Virus." Firestorm said with a growl.

"I'm not afraid of you!" Virus jeered in a sing-song voice.

"The plot sickens." Dial-Up rolled her eyes.

"I'm goona get Althea back, I'm gonna get Althea back…" Virus sang happily.

Well, well, well! Looks like the Virus has lost it…well, lost more than usual! What insanity will happen next? Will our heroes escape? What other video adventures await? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	8. Cry of the Wolfsbane!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked seeing Thunderbird smash up the Virus! The man does need a lot of help…and some booze. No mokeys will get hurt if the West Coast Misfits have anything to say about it! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there RogueFanKC! Virus is a freakin' lunatic, no question about it, my friend. Yeah, Blast Radius is going to make Virus's life completely miserable. Actually, one Joe can still escape. Guess who. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Don't worry, BR isn't going to go down **that** easily! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter, especially the cowboy thing with Thunderbird. Who says you can't have fun on a mission? Not all of the West Coast Misfits will be in the story, though. Hi-Tech said the game was incomplete, so not all of the kids will have levels. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there, Sparky Genocide! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Blast Radius smashing Virus upside the head with a coconut? Cool. I like that idea! I'll see what I can do with it! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Dante Tigerwolf: Hey there Dante! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Virus's mind has gone more bye-bye than before. I do? Thanks! I hope you liked it! To be honest, in a lot of my stories, I just make it up as I go along. However, I have gotten better with practice. By the way, did I ever tell you I love "The Z Project"? It's a good fic, and I know what the Z stands for! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "The Z Project"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Virus was a screwball. He is goofy, but he's also dangerous. He's a lunatic. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Little Shop of Mutants", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Slugs and Snails", and "Random Tales from the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I'm glad you liked the Virus torture! I'll see if I can put in more! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"! _

**Disclaimer: "Your planet has just exploded…would you like a hug?" - Ford, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy**

Chapter 8: Cry of the Wolfsbane!

**Virus's Fortress, Cyberopolis**

"You gonna die, Toad…" Virus sang to himself happily as he continued coordinating his little attempt to destroy the West Coast Misfits. The Malibu Joes looked on incredulously.

"Hey Virus!" Quick-Kick yelled happily. "As Johnny 5 said in Short Circuit, 'Your mama was a snowblower'!" He razzed the inventor. The Joes snickered, and Kicker hi-fived him.

"Quiet!" Virus yelled. "I'm killing here!" He laughed evilly. "Die die die die die die die die! WHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"

"Man, that guy is messed up." Torpedo grumbled.

"I find it really hard to believe that anyone can put up with someone as insane as him." Daina grumbled.

"I doubt they notice, Vorona." Quick-Kick grinned. "They _are_ Dreadnoks, after all."

"Ugh…" Hi-Tech groaned, rubbing his head.

"Hi-Tech, you okay?" Vorona asked with some concern. Hi-Tech groaned.

"Yeah…it's my head. I got a bit of a headache." A spike of pain hit his head. "AAAAARGH!" He collapsed to the ground.

"Hi-Tech!" The Malibu Joes crowded around him. Virus was completely ignorant of the whole thing. The Malibu Joe screamed in pain as his head nearly exploded with pain. His eyes glowed a bright electronic green and he suddenly disappeared.

"Oh God!" Kicker exclaimed.

"What happened to him?" Jester yelped.

"The hour is not up." Dial-Up checked her watch. "This could not be Virus's doing."

**Hi-Tech's Lab, Malibu Base**

"Ohhhh…" Hi-tech's body stirred. The blond Joe moaned as he got to his feet. "Wh-where am I?" He opened his eyes and looked around. He was standing in his lab. "How in the name of…Of course! My powers! My ability to mentally interface with computers!" He pulled off the black mind-trapping disk. "My powers must've allowed me to pull my mind out of virtual reality at will! Alright!" The Joe grinned. He noticed Rahne's slumped form on the ground. "Okay, Wolfsbane…" Hi-Tech picked up the body of the red-haired Scottish werewolf. "Let's get you to somewhere more comfortable." He put her on a table in his lab. "There we go…" He turned to his computer. "Now to work…"

**The ****Scottish ****Castle**** Level**

"Ha!" Rahne slashed through a zombie with her sword. "This is fun!" The Scottish girl grinned as she took another down. "Who knew I was so talented with swords?"

"Yeah, who knew?" A hologram appeared in front of Rahne. The Scottish mutant teenager blinked.

"Hi-Tech?"

"Yeah, it's me." Hi-Tech grinned.

"How did ye-?"

"Easy. My ability to mentally interface with computers allowed me to escape from Virus's little virtual trap. Even though it was…painful. But I highly doubt that little snot Virus noticed." Hi-Tech shrugged.

"I would nae be surprised." Rahne rolled her eyes. "That spaleen Virus _is_ kind of stupid and pathetic in a way."

**Virus's Fortress, Cyberopolis**

"Hee hee…" Virus giggled as he slept. "_Ooh!_ Althea, you are cheeky…hee hee…die Toad…"

**The ****Scottish ****Castle**** Level**

"What do we do, Hi-Tech?" Rahne asked.

"Well…" Hi-Tech thought about it. "Virus is holding the Joes hostage in the final level of the game, Cyberopolis. You go there after beating all the levels in the game."

"Great." Rahne groaned.

"Not all the levels are completed yet." Hi-Tech remembered.

"So we cannae go." Rahne sighed. "Terrific."

"Actually, you can go through the levels in any order you want, kind of like Mega Man." Hi-Tech grinned. "I know he's got the others in their own levels. Beat the level, Rahne. And…what's with the knight getup?"

"That little jerk took away me powers. I need tae find something called the Full Moon Gem to use them again."

"Oh yeah. The treasure." Hi-Tech grinned. "The little surprise in this level. I plan to include one. Each level had a hidden object that allowed the character to imitate the powers of a West Coast Misfit."

"I thought Virus did that." Rahne blinked. The holographic simulacrum of the electronic warfare expert shot Rahne an 'are-you-serious' look.

"Are you kidding? You actually _believed_ him?" Hi-Tech chuckled.

"I…guess so, heh heh." Rahne chuckled nervously.

"Whatever. Anyway, I'll go look for the gem, you find a way through this level. You're the boss in this level, but Vrius may have replaced you with himself, knowing that egomaniac."

"This'll be easy." Rahne grinned. She ran into another room. The werewolf gulped when she saw what appeared to be several fearsome-looking powerhouse zombies and suits of armor. The Scottish girl gulped. "Me and me big mouth."

Well, well, well! Looks like Rahne's in big trouble! What insanity will happen next? Can our heroes save the day? What'll Hi-Tech do now that he's free? Will Virus notice? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	9. Rockin' Into The Night!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Dante Tigerwolf: Hey there, Dante! Nice to hear from you again! I read the last chapter of "The Z Project" and I got the vibe that you're planning to transform Lance into a werewolf. Yeah, it's not that hard to figure out. I won't say, though. I don't want to spoil the surprise. That is an interesting story, considering I'm no fan of "Buffy" or "That's so Raven". I have seen "A Very Muppet Christmas", but not in a long time, so I have no idea who is growing crazy about me. Virus is a screwed up little snotbag. What can I do? Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "The Z Project"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the scene with Quick-Kick laying a verbal smack-down on Virus. Of course Hi-Tech could escape. His special psychic ability to mentally interface with machines allowed him to escape. I think the West Coast Misfits will love the new game. I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Hi-Tech was free because of his ability to mentally interact with computers. He got that power when he was struck by lightning while working on a computer. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! I read the new chapters of "Little Shop of Mutants" and "X-Men: Evolution" and I loved them! Evil space plants, singing secret agents, machine revolutions, and one amorous Liz Hurley, oh my! Oh yeah, bad news for Rahne! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", and "Slugs and Snails"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! I read the new chapter of "Evolution XMJ" and I loved it! I see you've introduced Rachel Summers. Interesting. You bet this will be fun! You should see the other levels! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Hi-Tech's special abilities come through once again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new one!_

**Disclaimer: "Oh, a wiseguy huh?"**

Chapter 9: Rockin' Into The Night!

**The Virtual ****Scottish ****Castle**

"Hee hee!" Rahne giggled in her human form as she ran into the final boss's room, a large circular chamber with thin cross-shaped windows around the walls, lit by the full moon. Around Rahne's neck was a circular white gem, the Full Moon Gem. She was still wearing her chestplate and helmet, and carrying her sword and shield. "That was fun! Now, according to Hi-Tech, I'm the final boss."

"However, there's been a change of plans!" A bestial voice roared. A figure leapt out of nowhere into the room. Rahne's eyes widened.

"Virus!" Rahne roared. The figure appeared to be Virus. A cyborg werewolf version of Virus. His clothes had some tattering to them, and he had dark brown fur. His face was furry and that of a wolf, with messy long brown hair. His snarl revealed his yellowish-white teeth. Virus's lower arms and hands were cybernetic, tipped with fearsome jagged claws. His left eye glowed a sickly yellow and his right eye, surrounded by metal, was glowing electronic green.

"What do you think of me, Red?" Virus chuckled, his voice taking on a more feral lit. "I kind of like this look meself." Rahne sneered.

"Virus…ye make one _ugly_ werewolf."

"Look who's talking. You aren't exactly Christie Brinkley in your wolf form yourself." Virus sneered.

"I dunno. I kind of think my werewolf form's kind of cute." Rahne replied. "What do ye want here?"

"I hate you and I want to kill you." Virus smirked. "After I'm through gutting you, you pathetic second-rate monster movie wannabe, I'm gonna kill Toad and everyone else on Earth."

_SECOND-RATE WEREWOLF!_ Rahne mentally screamed. "I don't need a sword and shield to stop ye, Virus." Rahne dropped the weapons and took off her helmet. She tucked the Full Moon Gem under her chestplate. Rahne glowed white as the Full Moon Gem allowed her to shift into her werewolf form. "Let's rock, Virus."

**A Virtual Rock Club**

The rock club looked more like an arena than a true nightclub. It was a large wooden square floor surrounded by railings. Behind the railings were tables being sat on by rock fans, who were watching the action. The same railings and fans existed on the second floor as well, watching the action from below. Aerosmith blasted from the speakers, and the club pulsed with various bright multi-colored lights. Standing on the floor was Ace Starr, the rock-worshipping leonine feral codenamed Wildstar, and the English mutant known as Virus.

"Jealous of Colossus much, Virus?" Ace Starr smirked. The half-teen, half-lion mutant codenamed Wildstar was smirking at Virus. He appeared to have developed metallic skin.

"Like me heavy metal form?" Virus smirked. Ace shook his head.

"You may have metal skin, but you are _not_ heavy metal." The Rock 'n' Roll Feral chuckled.

"Shut up and _die_, Wildstar!" Virus roared. The metal-skinned mutant charged Ace, but even though Ace didn't have his powers, he was still too fast for Virus to catch. Ace rolled out of the way, leaving Virus to punch the railing. Even though in this form, Virus had Colossus-level strength, Ace still was fast. Ace looked up at the ceiling. The ceiling held the lights, and hanging from it on a metal ring was a silver chain. The chain was glowing with a blue aura.

_The Heavy Metal Chain._ Ace thought. _If I can get my hard-rockin' paws on that chain, I can use my powers again. But how in the name of everything good and metal am I going to…_

"Perhaps I can help." A familiar voice was heard in Ace's head. The feral grinned.

"Hi-Tech, you old dog!" Ace chuckled. "How did you?"

"Oi! Who're you talking to?" Virus yelled.

"My powers, Ace." Hi-Tech explained. "My powers allowed me to escape from Virus's trap. Listen, you keep the dumb Brit busy, and I'll help you out with getting the chain."

"How the heck am I going to do that? The lunatic's like freakin' Colossus! Only Piotr is a lot better to be around."

"Trust me." Hi-Tech smirked. "I know what I'm doing. Just drive Virus nuts. You know what drives him crazy. It's not that hard." Ace nodded.

"I asked you! Who are you bloody talking to?" Virus roared. Ace smirked.

"Hey Virus…" Ace smirked. He started singing. "Althea loves Todd, Althea loves Todd, Althea loves Todd…" Virus started twitching.

"What…did…you…say…"

"Althea loves Todd…"

"Grrr…" Virus started to shake with anger.

"Althea loves Todd…" Ace sang.

"You…" Virus started to drool.

"Althea loves Todd…"

"NEEEEEEEARRRRRRRGH!" Virus roared like a wounded animal. "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU, LION-BOY!"

Well, well, well! Looks like our heroes have just encountered some weird versions of Virus! What insanity will happen next? What other incarnations of Virus are there? Can they be beaten? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	10. Taunting and Teasing!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, don't you worry. Rahne will show Virus how to be a proper werewolf. And Ace will get some licks in on the Heavy Metal Virus. Why did you call Ace 'loin boy'? I don't get it...Oh, wait a minute! Never mind! I see it! Okay, sorry. Anyway, I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I read the new chapters of "Evolution XMJ" and "Cry Havok" and I loved them! Insane Exile teachers and beach weirdness, oh my! I could imagine that Virus would get really enraged by being told that Althea loves Todd. I also can imagine that you love this story a whole lot. I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ" and "Cry Havok"!_

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there, Sparky Genocide! Nice to hear from you again! Ace driving Virus nuts by showing the mad mutant inventor a picture of Althea and Todd doing something romantic together? Hmm, I like that idea. In fact, I think I just got my inspiration. Virus going berserk is funny. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! Yeah, it does seem like Rahne is enjoying being a video game character. Right now, Rahne doesn't like Werewolf Virus. Virus makes a very bad werewolf. Hi-Tech designed levels for each of the West Coast Misfits. Ace's level happens to be a rock club, appropriate for him. Virus still wants Althea…and he'll never win her. He can try, but in the end, all he gets is beaten up. I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Raliena! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I read the new chapters of "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", and I loved it! Singing toasters, lovey-dovey Lucas and Liz **(Bobby: I hate todd fan. After I get my cold hard claws on Lucas and Liz, She's next!), and Jean acting like an extra from Moulin Rouge.** The best chapters yet, tf. Keep up the good work! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I'll try to keep it up! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical", and "Random Tales from the Magic Roundabout"!_

**Disclaimer: "This chick is _toast!_" - Bill Murray as Dr. Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters**

Chapter 10: Taunting and Teasing!

**The virtual rock club**

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU, LION-BOY!" The metal-skinned Virus roared like a wounded animal as he charged towards Ace. The powerless feral mutant smirked.

_Virus is so stupid. Just because I lack my strength, my speed, my reflexes, my agility, my healing factor, and my laser claws, but I still have two important weapons: My GI Joe training…and my cool._ Ace smirked. The leonine rocker easily rolled out of the way, causing Virus to crash headfirst into the railing.

"OW!"

"_Ohhh__, Althea loves to beat up Virus, she loves to cave his skull in…_" Ace sang happily. _Hee__, hee...this'll make Virus go absolutely **nuts!** Driving him crazy is fun._ Ace mentally snickered. Virus snarled as he got to his feet, eyes glowing electronic green.

"You filthy, disgusting, half-man, half-animal…" Virus snarled.

"The Hellion Girls will definitely agree with you on the animal part, if you know what I mean…" Ace joked with a smirk.

"You can't beat me." Virus smirked. "Feral mutants are not capable of being intelligent. Your animal instincts are useless against me."

"Do I look like Sabertooth to you?" Ace chuckled, leaning against one of the supports between the railings, arms crossed and smirking. "You want to talk about dumb ferals, Sabertooth's your man. He's a hired grunt. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be some inbred hick from Chuckalick, Tennessee."

"You still can't win, Wildstar. Here…" Virus gestured grandly, a mad grin on his face. "I…am…God."

"Dude, I don't think the man upstairs would like you saying that." Ace laughed. "Is it one of the Commandments that thou shalt not say you're God or something?" Virus's metallic fingers sharpened into claws.

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU PATHETIC DE-EVOLVED EXCUSE FOR A MUTANT!" Virus roared, charging Ace, intending on slashing him wide open. Ace looked up at the blue-glowing Heavy Metal chain hanging in the air for a second, and then looked at Virus. At the very last second, just when it seemed that Virus's claws were about to slash open Ace's pretty face, the LA-born feral mutant, with his smirk still painted on his face, ducked and rolled out of the way. Virus's claws got stuck to the wall.

"HEY! WHAT? HELP!" Virus howled. The English mutant roared, screamed, screeched, snarled, muttered, grumbled, and cursed as he tried to pull out his claws from the support. Ace looked up at the Heavy Metal Chain and smirked.

"Going up!" Ace quipped. He ran towards Virus and leapt. He put his foot on Virus's shoulder, using the defenseless English mutant as a stepping stone. Ace used his claws to grab on to the wooden support. He then used his claws to help him climb the wall. Mentally calculating a jump, Ace climbed higher and higher towards the chain. After what seemed like an eternity, Virus managed to yank out his claws. He looked up and his eyes widened.

"NO! DEAR BLOODY GOD, NO!" Virus screeched girlishly. Ace smirked.

"Quite a crazy _chain_ of events, huh Virus?" Ace joked. The lion-like teen made his leap. He crossed the air towards the chain. He managed to grab it. "Oh yeah…" Ace's body glowed blue, and he felt his powers coming back to him. "Groovy." He took the chain, and he started to fall. Ace felt that instinct that kicked in whenever he fell. The instinct all cats felt. Ace's muscle memory twisted his body, and he landed on his feet, twirling the chain over his head.

"You lousy cheater!" Virus snarled.

"Why should I cheat in a video game when all I can do is exploit the fact that I'm better than you, Virus." Ace smirked, still twirling the glowing chain. "Have at ye!" He whipped the chain, sending one end flying into Virus's face.

**The ****Scottish ****Castle**

"Ohhhh…" The Werewolf Virus moaned. The faux werewolf lied on the brick ground, face down. Rahne, in her werewolf state, sat down on Virus's back. Her long red hair fell over one eye.

"Silly Virus…" She joked. "Ye really believed that ye could beat me as a werewolf?"

"How?" Virus moaned. "I was stronger!"

"Ye…didnae quite understand the _essence_ of bein' a werewolf. It's not about bein' scary or powerful. It's about bein' not quite human and not quite animal." Rahne smirked. Ye watch too many horror flicks." She started to glow. "Hey wait a minute…what is going on here EEK!" She disappeared.

**Cyberopolis**

Rahne materialized in what appeared to be a city. However, the city looked a lot different than any city she ever saw. The sky was black with streaks of red. Some of the building had machines that appeared to be growing on them like mold. Some buildings were nothing but giant machines. The city was also completely deserted. The sounds of whirring, clicking, beeping, and metal clanking together filled the air.

"Cyberopolis…" Rahne gulped. "The final level…"

**A virtual city**

Theresa Rourke, aka Siryn, found herself in a virtual city. She looked around a bit and recognized it.

"This looks a lot like Dublin." Theresa noted. "Where did that psychotic Virus send me?" The sonic screamer heard snickering. "What?" The screamer turned around, and her eyes widened. "Oh saints preserve us all!"

Well, well, well! Looks like the battle will continue! What insanity will happen next? How will Rahne fare in Cyberopolis? What did Theresa see? Did Ace beat Virus? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	11. The Hunter!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yup, Rahne showed that you can't beat a born werewolf, heh heh. I'm sure she'll do just fine in Cyberopolis. She's a tough old chickie. Just remember who's she's lived with. Well, Ace is a lion boy, no doubt about it. The nickname fit, so I had to use it. Don't worry, Ace'll save the day? What did Siryn see? I didn't want to permanently injure Siryn, so no Virus in his boxers. Find out next! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there, Sparky Genocide! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I like your idea, but I don't know too many cartoon wolves. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Ace found a sound plan there for whupping Virus, not to mention it's so much fun driving Virus completely crazy! I enjoy torturing Virus in my fics. Enjoy the new chapter! _

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yup, Ace pulled a classic play. Virus is one of those people that will let his temper get the better of him, if you know what really angers him. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Dante Tigerwolf: Hey there, Dante! Nice to hear from you! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! No, Virus is not pretending to be a cyborg version of Theresa's father Sean "Banshee" Cassidy. To be quite honest with you, I'm not sure what you meant? Where was I talking about Buffy? Oh well. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "The Z Project"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for more new chapters of "Evolution XMJ" and "Cry Havok"! I know what the XMJ stands for!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yup, Cyberopolis is the final level. It's Virus's own personal city, through his twisted eyes. You can bet all amphibious life was the first to go. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"! It sucks that songfics are banned, I quite enjoyed "X-Men: Evolution, the Musical!", especially Bobby's tribute to Queensryche, Lucas singing Queen, and the Liz Hurley Devil singing to __Logan__! Those were hilarious moments, lost forever! What a shame._

**Disclaimer: "Welcome to the party, pal!" - Bruce Willis as Det. John MacClaine, Die Hard**

Chapter 11: The Hunter!

**The virtual rock club**

The virtual patrons whooped in delight at the victor of the big fight. Ace Starr gave his beloved crowd a bow.

"Thank you, thank you!" Ace grinned a wide feral grin as he bowed. "I'll be here all week! Be sure to tip your lovely waitresses."

"Ohhhh…hoooo…" The metal-skinned Virus moaned. He was sprawled out over a table, groaning. "How…"

"Easy, Virus…" Ace grinned, picking up the Heavy Metal Chain. "You see, you're _way_ too predictable, bro." He started to glow. "What the-?" He disappeared in a flash of light.

**Cyberopolis**

Ace appeared in the purely mechanical city, carrying his chain.

"What in the world?" The guitar-playing feral blinked. "Man, this place looks like something out of the Terminator." A crash was heard. "Whoa!" He saw Rahne in her werewolf form and John Proudstar fighting a robot that looked like a futuristic six-wheeled tank. "What in the world?" He clutched the Heavy Metal Chain a little bit tighter. "Maybe if I give Rahne and Johnny a hand, I may be able to find out where I am and what's up with this place."

**The virtual Dublin-inspired city**

Theresa snarled at what she saw. She saw what appeared to be a cyborg version of Virus, dressed in futuristic golden armor with a Gaelic style to it. He carried a futuristic-looking golden spear with a tip having jagged edges and a rectangular shield.

"You like it, Miss Rourke?" Virus smirked. "I did a little research on Irish folklore, and you can guess who inspired me." Theresa scowled.

"Kukullen, the legendary warrior." The Irishwoman snarled. "What was your research, watching an episode of a cartoon show about world-traveling gargoyles?"

_Nuts!_ Virus mentally grumbled. "No. I just thought it would be nice for you to die by a legend."

"You're sick, Virus!"

"Actually, I also wanted to spit on your culture a bit, as long as we're being honest about each other." Virus smirked. "You know, as a Brit, I don't think too highly of you Irish."

"Irish people don't like _you_ either, Virus." Theresa snarled. The blonde opened her mouth and took a breath. She tried to fire her sonic scream, but it was just a normal scream. "Me scream! Me sonic scream! It's gone! What did ye do?"

"Here, you're powerless, mate." Virus smirked. He pointed his spear at Theresa. "No sonic scream, no flight. As for me…" The spear's tip started to glow, and a humming sound erupted from it. The glow increased in intensity and the hum turned into a high-pitched whine. "Here…I'm the king. Hail to the king, baby." Virus's spear fired a golden beam from its tip. Theresa's eyes widened, and she barely managed to roll out of the way in time.

"Oh me God!" Siryn exclaimed. "Ye lunatic!"

"Me psychiatrist said the same thing…before I rebuilt him into an alarm clock/FM radio." Virus smirked, continuing to try to blast Theresa into little itty-bitty pieces.

_This guy is majorly sick!_ "Yipe!" Siryn yelped as she dodged another blast.

_Need help, Blondie?_ A familiar voice snickered in her head. Theresa blinked.

_Hi-Tech?__ What're **ye** doing in me head?_ Theresa mentally exclaimed.

_Thank Virus for that._ Hi-Tech chuckled. _He didn't seem to realize that my own special abilities, I was able to escape the little twisted twit's virtual trap._

_How can ye help?_ Theresa asked. _I got that little twit impersonating a legendary warrior from me home country, and I have no powers!_

_No problem._ Hi-Tech nodded. _There's an object in this level called the Screamer's __Bell__. It's basically a green-and-yellow bell with a wooden handle. Once you get your hands on it, you'll have your powers back. I'll help you get to it._ Theresa nodded and raced into an alley. Virus whooped.

"The hunt is on!" Virus crowed, raising his spear in the air.

**Cyberopolis**

"Cyberopolis, huh?" Ace confirmed.

"Yup." John nodded. "Evidently, the little psycho trapped us in a video game."

"Aye." Rahne agreed. "This Cyberopolis place is supposed to be a city that is mostly pure machine. Robots and androids and the like rule this place."

"Kind of fun if you're into the Terminator flicks." John quipped.

"No kidding." Ace agreed. He noticed something: A huge fortress-like structure in the center of the city. It dwarfed the tallest buildings in Cyberopolis.

"Are there any people here?" Ace asked. Rahne shook her head.

"We've had no time to check. The Joes are in danger, ye know." Rahne reminded.

"Of course." Ace smirked. He pointed at the fortress. "Maybe we should go to that fortress. The bad guys always hide out in the fortress."

Well, well, well! Looks like the West Coast Misfits have a plan! What insanity will happen next? Will Siryn get the Screamer's Bell? Can our heroes make it into the fortress and save the day and the Joes? Will Virus lose it again? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	12. Song of the Siryn!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Here's your update for you! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there Sparky Genocide! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! The girls meeting Pac-Man, huh? That sounds interesting. Someone talking trash about Virus's mother and him losing it? That sounds cool! I think I'll have Theresa pull it off in the virtual __Dublin__. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again, my friend! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I love robots. Robots are a lot of fun. They're just robots out to stop our mutant heroes from rescuing the Joes. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Virus got burned. I have actually seen that episode, and it inspired the incarnation of Virus that will fight Theresa. I like your idea, but…where the heck could Siryn find __Bronx__, the gargoyle dog? Oh well. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", Random Tales of the magic Roundabout" and "A Rabbit's Tale: Journey"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Wow, you really think that this story is getting better and better? Thanks! That's really good to hear. I've been keeping up with your stuff, and shocked is an understatement. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ", and "Cry Havok"!_

**Disclaimer: "Real smart, Captain Fantastic! Real smart!" - Me**

Chapter 12: Song of a Siryn!

**Cyberopolis**

"Good God!" Ace Starr yelled as the lion-like teenage mutant blasted a tank-like robot with his claw lasers. He then used the lasers to shoot down a couple robots that looked like jet planes.

"Pretty desolate place, it is." Rahne Sinclair agreed, smashing a soldier-like robot with her claws that came with the werewolf form. "Not a soul here."

"Just the way Virus likes it." John Proudstar explained as he pitched a tank robot's turret into another tank robot. "We all know how that guy feels about human life." He then started mocking Virus's English-accented voice: "I bloody hate bloody organic life, because they're all bloody stupid! I hate bloody humans, I hate bloody mutants, I hate bloody everything that isn't mechanical, because machines listen to me whine about how pathetic I am, tally ho, pip pip, eh wot dead parrots and the Spanish Inqusition."

"I didn't know you were a Monty Python fan, Johnny Boy." Ace grinned as he slashed open a robot with charged claws.

"Who's Monty Python?" John blinked. A trio of robots ran up to the scene, wearing what appeared to be red robes and carrying rapiers with red energy blades.

"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition." The lead robot said in a monotonous electronic voice.

"You have got to be kidding me." Rahne groaned. Ace chuckled as he held a wheel of one of the robot tanks he destroyed.

"It's going to be a shame to do this." Ace sighed before he pitched the wheel. The wheel smashed into the robots, destroying them. One of their light rapiers flew into the air, and the hilt landed in Ace's palm. He twirled the futuristic sword around.

"Fighting our way through this world, we must continue." Ace said in a funny voice.

"Come on, Yoda." John groaned.

**The virtual Dublin-inspired city**

"Whoa!" Theresa screamed as she dodged a sonic blast by rolling. Since she was unable to use her powers, she was unable to call upon her mutant ability to produce sonic vibrations to allow her to glide. Flying above her was a cackling Virus, in his golden Kukullen armor, firing energy blasts from his golden spear.

"This is fun!" Virus whooped happily. "I've never felt so _alive!_ I feel like I am the king! Alright!"

_Hang on, Theresa! Just a little further!_ Hi-Tech's voice encouraged in her head.

_Why aren't you here giving me a hand, if your powers allow you to do stuff in places like this? _Theresa mentally screamed.

_I wish I could, but I can only stretch myself so far. That idiot Virus knows I'm gone. He doesn't know what I can do, but he'll eventually figure it out._ Hi-Tech explained. _Right now, I'm also working on a way to free the other Joes._

_Hi-Tech, Virus is a madman! He's going to **kill** me!_ Theresa exclaimed.

_Don't worry, Terry. I know you. You're pretty tough. Just follow my directions, and you can even the odds. _Hi-Tech reassured. Theresa nodded.

_Where do I go?_

_Right this way…_Hi-Tech put images in Theresa's mind of the location. _Consider yourself special, Terry. If we were playing this game normally, you'd have to search the entire town for the Screamer's __Bell_

_Lucky me._ Theresa chuckled. She turned and leapt into a building just as one of Virus's power blasts hit the ground behind her, making it explode.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are…" Virus sang as he hovered around the building Theresa dove into. He started blasting at the walls. "Come on, you're a bloody bird without your bloody song! Come out here and face me, you bloody Irish cow!" Virus continued screaming and blasting away at the building. He noticed a figure run by. "Hello…" the crazed English mutant grinned evilly. He slowly hovered into the building. Meanwhile, at the top of the building, Theresa walked into a room. Inside, she saw a completely bare room…except for a glowing chest that was the size of a hassock.

_Congratulations, Theresa._ Hi-Tech smirked. _You have proven yourself worthy, and now you are the proud owner of the Screamer's __Bell_ Theresa gulped. The blonde slowly walked into the room, and knelt down in front of the chest. She opened it up, and she saw a green bell with a wooden handle with a chain loop attached to it, and a yellow-and-black stripe across the middle of it horizontally. The bell was glowing with a bright green aura. Theresa could not help but chuckle at how the bell looked.

"No surprise that ye'd use me costume as inspiration for the bell." The Irish blonde chuckled. She took the bell in her hand and held it. She saw a green aura cover her body. "Oh my…" Theresa smiled. She felt her body filling with power. She felt a tingle in her throat. "Me powers…I can feel me powers returning…" She took the chain of the bell and put it around her neck. The blonde heard an explosion. She looked out the hole in the wall. Virus was floating outside, twisted smirk on his face. He pointed his spear at Theresa.

"Hello, love. Remember me? I sincerely hope you put your final affairs in order. Because I'm in the mood for some killing." Theresa smiled evilly as she got to her feet.

"Hello, Vincent…" Theresa said in a syrupy sweet voice. "I got a little present for you. Close your eyes." Theresa took a deep breath, and…

**_WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_**

Theresa let loose a sonic scream, and it smashed into Virus like a football tackle hitting a quarterback.

"ARG!" Virus screamed as the sonic scream hit him, sending him flying backward. "ME EARS!"

"The playing field is even now, Virus. Let's do this!" Theresa yelled as she took to the air, getting ready for an aerial dogfight.

Well, well, well! Looks like the gang are making progress! What insanity will happen next? What exactly is Hi-Tech working on? Can our heroes save the day? Will Virus ever be taken seriously? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	13. Reunion!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Dante Tigerwolf: Hey there, Dante! Nice to hear from you again! It's been too long! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "The Z Project"!_

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there, Sparky Genocide! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Hmm, Rahne and Theresa offering a banana to a Donkey Kong-wannabe only to turn down their offer in a refined fashion? I like that idea! I'll see what I can do with that! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I'll see if I can bring a cameo by a Transformer in some way. Don't worry, Theresa is going to do some eardrum-crushing! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Firefly25: Hey there, Firefly! Nice to hear from you again! It's been too long! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Oh yeah, Siryn's got her powers back, and Virus had better run for it! Yeah, Virus is a genius, but fortunately, his huge ego and his mental screw-ups always mess up what could be perfect plans. Yeah, that situation is very difficult indeed. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to beta-read the new chapter of "Reindeer Flotilla"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails" and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"! _

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Who doesn't love seeing that little British snot get smacked around. I love tormenting the little psycho. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ" and "Cry Havok"!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you again! I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, Theresa is having a lot of fun right now! Ace's Yoda impersation was pretty good. At least, I thought so. Enjoy the new chapter!_

**Disclaimer: "Why don't you guys…split it."**

Chapter 13: Reunion!

**The virtual Dublin-inspired city**

"_WAHHHHHHHHHHH!_" A powerful sonic blast ripped through the air up above the city. The sonic blast nailed a flying Virus, clad in golden armor that looked like a combination of futuristic and ancient Gaelic.

"ARG!" The insane teenage English mutant howled, clutching his ears. The sonic blast knocked him back across the sky. Theresa Rourke, aka Siryn, used her mutant powers to glide around in the air in pursuit of him

"Let's see how ye like _this_ little scream!" The blonde Irishwoman growled. She took a deep breath. "_WAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_" Theresa blasted Virus again with another sonic scream.

"NEEARG!" Virus howled. "You bloody Irish dog!"

"Look who's talking!" Theresa snapped. "Poor Virus. Ye may have actually been able to beat me. Only one problem. Your ego. Ye think ye're so bloody great, ye forget to put in contingency plans."

"You're a cheater!" Virus howled, blasting at Siryn with his golden staff. "A bloody cheater! You weren't supposed to find that bloody bell!"

"Well, you should hide it better!" Theresa dive-bombed towards Virus. She let loose one last sonic scream. "_WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_" The blast sent Virus reeling and sent him careening into the ground. He hit the ground with a hard CRASH! The crazed English mutant sprawled on the ground.

"Ohhhh…no fair…no fair…" Virus moaned. He tried to get to his feet and aim his staff for one last blast, but Siryn came down in the form of a green-and-yellow blur and nailed Virus with a kick, knocking him back down. The staff twirled around in the air until it landed in Siryn's hand. The Irish girl broke it over her knee.

"You're done." She narrowed her eyes at Virus. She started to glow. "Hey…" She looked at her hands. "What?" She vanished in a burst of light.

**Cyberopolis**

In a flash of light, Theresa Rourke found herself in Cyberopolis, a city ruled by machines, and Virus's little final level.

"My God…" Theresa's jaw dropped as she looked at the sky and the mechanical buildings. No sign of nature for miles, cold steel ruling over all. "What a place. This definitely would be Heaven for Virus. But then again, I doubt that twisted little freak would ever get there." She found herself covered by light, like a spotlight was hitting her from behind. "What?" She turned and saw three futuristic helicopters that looked like a bizarre hybrid of Apache helicopters and UFOs. "Saints…"

"Halt, human…" One of the helicopters said in a cold mechanical monotone voice. Evidently, they were automated, possessing some form of AI. But then again, this was a world generated by computers, so they were really just complicate pieces of computer code.

"Oh Saints preserve us all…" Theresa muttered.

"You are trespassing in the domain of Lord Virus." The lead helicopter said.

_Lord Virus? Heh. That's generously humble of him._ Theresa mentally noted. The Irish blonde couldn't help but snicker. _I would think that someone like him would want to be known as King Virus…nah, that's still too lowly a title he would give himself. He'd…he'd want to be known as a god. Yeah, that'd fit him. Fit him like a bloody glove._ Theresa sneered at the helicopters. "Tell your Lord Virus that I'm comin' for him, and I ain't leaving without his carcass." A futuristic cannon mounted underneath each futuristic helicopter glowed a bright pink, indicating that they were powering up. "Oh, Saints…"

"Fire." The lead helicopter said flatly. The helicopters started firing pink laser beams at the blonde screamer.

"SAINTS!" Theresa exclaimed. She jumped off the building as the helicopters tried to blast her. Using her powers, she was easily able to take flight, forcing the helicopters to take chase. "Come and get me, ye bloody figments of a psycho's mind!" She heard an explosion. "What was that? Something tells I'd better get me arse over to wherever that noise came from." She made a sharp turn around a building, causing one of the helicopters to crash into a building. As she approached, she saw Ace "Wildstar" Starr, Rahne "Wolfsbane" Sinclair, and John "Thunderbird" Proudstar wailing on several land-based robots. "I've landed in a madhouse."

"Look! It's Theresa!" John exclaimed, pointing at her in the sky.

"Oh Lord, what is she doing?" Rahne blinked.

"She must've whooped the royal tar out of ol' Virus, whatever he was dressed up as in her level." Ace chuckled.

"Get out of the way!" Theresa screeched, dodging laser fire. The three mutants immediately did so. The Irish girl dived, and she streaked past the robots Ace, Rahne, and John were fighting, causing the helicopters to blast them to get to her. "Ace, shoot them down!"

"Right!" Ace took aim, pointing his claws at the helicopters. "Locking on target…" The leonine feral started commenting in a robotic voice. "Powering up weapons…" His claws glowed a bright blue.

"Ace, **stop** screwing around!" Rahne yelled.

"Alright, alright…" Ace rolled his eyes. "I got this! FIRE!" Ace fired ten blue beams of energy from his claws. The energy beams hit the helicopter's rotors, and they exploded. The futuristic helicopters then dove towards the ground, crashing and exploding in a shower of pixels. "Cool."

"Oh thank ye, God." Theresa sighed. She landed near the other West Coast Misfits.

"You alright, Terry?" Ace asked.

"I am now." Theresa sighed, rubbing her throat. "I need a bloody rest."

"No time, girlie." John snorted. "Look." He pointed to a building. A countdown appeared. "We got ten minutes."

"Ten minutes to get to the center of this blasted city. Wonderful." Ace grumbled. Suddenly, a line made of golden arrows appeared on the ground. "What?"

"Hi-Tech…" Theresa smirked. "C'mon! Follow the yellow arrow road!"

"_Now_ who's spouting bad movie references?" John smirked.

Well, well, well! Looks like our heroes are on their way. What insanity will happen next? Can they make it? Can they save the Joes? Or did a certain Joe already have a plan in mind? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	14. Cyberwarfare!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yup, they're all together again! Hooray! I'm glad you liked the fight between Theresa and Virus. Well, let's just say the blonde hair and the sonic powers are not the only things she inherited from her father Banshee. Well, Hi-Tech loves to joke, and it's his way with dealing with pressure. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there, Sparky Genocide! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Thanks for the ideas! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Wildstar, Wolfsbane, Siryn, and Thunderbird are back together again, and boy is Virus in for it! Yeah, I'll see if I can have a Transformer cameo. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I reference all kinds of stuff in my fics. Keep an eye out. Yeah, Virus is going to go **ape** in this chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails" and "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Evolution XMJ" and your new one-shots and I loved them! Human Torch and Thing joining the Institute, and insanity, oh my! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

**Disclaimer: "Where do they come up with this stuff?" - Stan Marsh, ****South ****Park**

Chapter 14: Cyberwarfare!

**Cyberopolis**

It was a desperate battle being waged in Cyberopolis. Wildstar, Wolfsbane, Thunderbird, and Siryn were battling their way through an army of robots to get to the center of the mechanical city. Ace Starr was using his claw lasers to slash and blast his way through the robots. John Proudstar called upon his mutant toughness and great strength. Rahne Sinclair used her claws. Theresa Rourke used her powerful sonic scream to pulverize anything metal that got in their way.

"We're never gonna make it!" John yelled as he smashed an android with a backbreaker.

"We _will_ make it, Proudstar!" Theresa yelled. "We just have to keep on fighting!"

"No offense, Theresa…" Ace said as he blasted a robot's head off with his laser claws. "I may be an optimist and all, but we only have eight minutes! And there's no way that we can get to the center of the city in that time at this rate!"

"Hey…What's that?" Rahne pointed into the sky. The four mutants looked up and saw three streaks in the sky. The streaks became three fighter jets, F-15s to be exact. The lead one was mainly grey with red highlights. The one to the left was blue with white highlights and the one to the right was black with purple highlights.

"I hope they're friendlies." John grumbled, narrowing his eyes.

**Virus's Lair**

"It's too late, mates." Virus smirked as he watched the four West Coast Misfits fight their way through the city. "You'll never make it in time." He checked his watch. "They still have seven minutes. I'm surprised there was time to spare." The crazed English mutant smirked evilly. "You know what? I'll kill those stinking Joes now. It's more fun than just letting them go." He turned around to look at the cell containing the Joes, and… "WHAT?" The English mutant's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. The cell was empty. "HOW?"

"Me, happy boy!" A voice said. Virus turned around and saw a fist fly toward his face.

_POW!_

Virus was knocked across the room. He looked up and saw Hi-Tech.

"How did you?"

"You're not the only one who can make mental connections to electronics." Hi-Tech smirked. "You see, while you were so busy trying to kill the kids, I was able to use my own powers to escape, and help the others get out. You know, I have to give you credit, Virus. You may have beaten us this time, all by yourself. However, you let one thing get in the way: Your ego. You were more concerned with defeating the kids with your bare hands, and you can't even do _that_ without an electronic device." Virus screeched in rage. His lower arms turned to metal, and his fingertips elongated into evil-looking claws.

"You bloody Yank fool!" Virus snarled. "You ruined everything! All me plans! You made me look like a fool! Now I'll _never_ be able to kill the Joes…and _as a result, Althea's still captive!_" Virus charged towards Hi-Tech. "NEEEEEEEARRRRRRGH!" Hi-Tech only did the "come and get some" gesture.

**Cyberopolis**

"Look!" John pointed up into the air.

"I _know_ those jets from somewhere…" Ace mumbled to himself. The feral scratched his chin.

"They're firing!" John exclaimed. The jets started firing laser beams. The kids got ready to dodge when they realized that the laser blasts were hitting the robots that were surrounding them.

"They're on our side! Alright!" Rahne cheered.

"Where'd they come from?" Ace scratched his head.

"Hi-Tech must've sent them." Theresa thought.

"What?" The other three mutants said.

"Hi-Tech was able to escape Virus's little trap using his own powers of electronic devices." Theresa explained. "He's been working on his own plan to free the Joes. He's been doing it while we've been fighting Virus in his various forms."

"You have got to be kidding." John said. "So, we've been Hi-Tech's patsies this whole time?"

"No, his distractions." Theresa explained. "We did exactly as he hoped. We kept Virus busy long enough to allow him to free the Joes."

_It's done!_ Hi-Tech's voice said in their heads. _I'm currently engaging Virus in his lair. The Joes are safe!_

"I don't like being people's patsies!" John growled.

_Relax, John. Half the plan was dumb luck anyway._ Hi-Tech chuckled.

"Just like every other plan GI Joe has ever concocted." Ace chuckled.

"They say the best plans involve a little luck." Theresa shrugged.

"We still have to get to the center of the city!" Rahne realized. "Hi-Tech may need some help." An explosion was heard. "See?"

"How the heck are we going to get to the center of the city?" John crossed his arms. The three jets overhead went to a hover over the kids. They lowered down ropes with leather loops at the ends. "What is this?"

_Oh, I sent the jets to back you guys up._ Hi-Tech explained. _John, Ace, Rahne, get on the ropes. Theresa can glide alongside the jets._

"These jets do look familiar." Ace mumbled to himself.

_I got the idea from a cartoon._

Well, well, well! Looks like our heroes are on that attack! What insanity will happen next? Who will win in the battle of super-powered techno-geeks? Will our heroes get a shot at Virus? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	15. High Flying!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yup, the __Malibu__ Joes are free, the gang are together. Let the final battle begin! You bet that the battle between Virus and Hi-Tech will be good. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I needed an excuse to bring in the Seekers. The seekers are awesome. Yeah. Virus sucks **(Virus: HEY!)**! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Firefly25: Hey there, Firefly! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Virus may be insane, but he is smart, and I think he would have figured out **how** Hi-Tech pulled it off anyway. Virus and Hi-Tech paying tribute to 'The Matrix'? I like that idea. Trust John not to get it indeed. He's an ironic character, especially in the comics. In the comics, John was in the Army, yet he wasn't that disciplined. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to beta-read the new chapter of "Reindeer Flotilla"!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I read the new chapter of "Apokolips Deferred" and I loved it! I think I figured out Darkseid's plan and the identity of the eighth Fury. It should b obvious which cartoon those jets came from. Oh, I think Virus will feel a lot of pain. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! I can't wait for those one-shots! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! You'll love this new one! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

**Disclaimer: "So uh, how's things coming, Mr. Scarface?"**

Chapter 15: High Flying!

**Cyberopolis**

"WHOOOOOOO!" Ace Starr whooped. The lion-like teenage feral mutant pumped his fist in the air. He was hanging on to one of the Seekers (Skywarp to be exact) by the line they had under him. His foot was on a loop. "Now _this_ is how you fly!"

"Tell that to poor Thunderbird." Rahne, who was hanging from Starscream, pointed at John. The large Apache mutant was hanging from Thundercracker. He was grabbing the rope extremely close and extremely tight. His face was as pale as a ghost, and he was shivering and mumbling.

"I hate flying…I hate flying…I hate flying…I hate flying…I hate flying…" John mumbled. Ace shook his head.

"Relax, John!" Ace reassured. "Just remember man, this is a _virtual_ world. It's not real. We're not _really_ flying. We just are being given the _idea_ we are flying."

"Tell that to my stomach…oh…" John moaned. "I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die…"

"I wonder what is going on up there…" Theresa wondered as she glided alongside the three Seekers.

**Virus's Lair, the center of Cyberopolis**

"DIE, HUMAN!" Virus's arms morphed into laser gattling guns. The crazed English-born mutant started firing bursts of blue laser energy at Hi-Tech.

"Oh, _please!_" Hi-Tech scoffed. "You really think I'm intimidated by that light show you got?" The super-powered Joe easily dodged the energy blasts with a contortion that looked like Hi-Tech watched 'The Matrix' one too many times. "You suck Virus!"

"Grrrrr…" Virus snarled. "You're a real bloody pain, human! You wrecked me beautiful plans!"

"_I_ never wrecked your plans, Virus. _You_ did." Hi-Tech smirked. His lower arm glew a bright green and morphed into a futuristic laser cannon. "You were so full of yourself, so confident in your own abilities. You underestimated your opponents. Your own ego was your downfall." Hi-Tech pointed the cannon at Virus. The blond Joe smirked. "Let me shoot it down a little." He fired a beam of energy with a huge **_BWAM!_**

**Nearby, over Cyberopolis**

"Virus's lair, dead ahead!" Siryn pointed straight ahead.

"I hope we're not too late!" Rahne gulped.

"I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die…I'm gonna die…" Thunderbird moaned.

"What the?" Ace blinked. "What's that noise?"

**_BWAM!_**

An explosion erupted from the lair.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" A screaming Virus was sent flying out of the lair.

"Whoa!" Ace yelled. "Look out! Flying Virus!" The crazed teenage English mutant flew down towards the ground. With a thud that sounded like a explosion, Virus slammed into the ground. The crazy genius snarled.

"You forget one thing, human." Virus muttered to himself. "Here…in the virtual world…" Virus's eyes started glowing a bright electronic green. "I…am…a…GOD!" Virus screamed as he started undergoing a transformation.

"And people get spooked when they see _me_ transform." Rahne muttered.

"I'm getting some _bad_ Japanese film flashbacks right now." Ace moaned.

"I'm gonna die now…I just know it…" John whimpered.

"SHUT UP, THUNDERBIRD!" The three West Coast Misfits snapped at their teammate. They then watched Virus's transformation. He started to grow in size. As he grew, he metamorphosed into what appeared to be a giant silver robotic tyrannosaurus rex with glowing green eyes, long brown hair, and black studded forearms.

"Oh boy…" Theresa gulped. "Saints preserve us all…"

"How the heck are we supposed to take down an insane robo-saur?" Ace shook his head. Virus roared and blasted green atomic flame from his mouth.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Virus roared at the four West Coast Misfits when he saw them.

"NOT TODAY, LITTLE MAN!" A voice roared. Something huge slammed into Virus, causing the insane Brit to tumble onto his side, and to slide back several hundred feet.

"Not _another_ one…" Ace moaned.

"I'm hurt, Ace." Hi-Tech smirked as he walked into view. "You should know I'm on your side." He looked very different. Hi-Tech now looked like Gammora, a giant mutant tortoise, with cybernetic enhancements and armor added on.

"Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding." Virus snarled. He then did what appeared to be a smirk. "I should've known, human. You _would_ try to copy my genius. After all, they do say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

"There you go again…" Hi-Tech teased in a sing-song voice. A hissing sound was heard from Hi-Tech's shell. Two panels on the shell popped open, revealing hidden missile launchers. He fired several missiles at the recovering Virus, making the English kid scream.

"NYEEEEEEARRRRRGH!" Virus screamed as the missiles slammed into him, causing him to stagger. "I'LL RIP YOU APART, YOU LITTLE INSIGNIFICANT SPECK!" Jet boosters on Virus's feet fired, allowing the Brit to slam into Hi-Tech with a high-speed tackle. The West Coast Misfits were watching this on the hovering Seekers.

"Mecha-Godzilla versus Gammora, anyone?" Ace quipped.

"Saints preserve us all…" Theresa moaned, landing on top of Skywarp.

Well, well, well! Looks like our heroes are going to se the final battle! What insanity will happen next? Who will win the final battle? Will Virus ever get it right? Will Thunderbird ever conquer his fear of flying? Find out in the next chapter! Suggestions needed badly!


	16. Final Battle!

**Virtual Insanity!**

_To Dante Tigerwolf: Hey there, Dante! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! It's alright, man. People make mistakes. I didn't know that about Rictor, but then again, I did say **might**, heh heh. I like cliffhangers. Keeps 'em coming back for more! See? Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Z Project"!_

_To Firefly25: Hey there, Firefly! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, you have to admit, even though the special effects are cheap, the battles in the Godzilla movies are fun. Yeah, Thundercracker's ability to create sonic booms. I read about that. That's awesome. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait to beta-read the new chapter of "Reindeer Flotilla"!_

_To Aaron: Hey there, Aaron! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! The gang is back together again! Hooray! I thought it would be funny to see Hi-Tech and Virus fight like Japanese movie monsters. I agree, Poor ol' John Proudstar **really** needs to overcome his fear of heights. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Sparky Genocide: Hey there, Sparky Genocide! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! A corny knight, huh? I like that idea! I'll see if I can fit it in! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To Chiomon: Hey there, Chiomon! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Actually, Virus didn't bring back anything. That was the Starr Chronicles-verse Virus. This is the Misfit-verse Virus. There's a difference. Sorry I couldn't fit in Prime. I love the Seekers, so I thought it'd be fun to bring them in. Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To todd fan: Hey there, todd fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yup, suspense rules. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Slugs and Snails", "Random Tales of the Magic Roundabout", and "Gifts and Curses"!_

_To Red Witch: Hey there, Red Witch! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! You bet my stuff is wild! Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Evolution XMJ"!_

_To Raliena: Hey there, Rae! Nice to hear from you! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yah, Hi-Tech rocks! Enjoy the new chapter!_

_To RogueFanKC: Hey there, Rogue Fan! Nice to hear from you again! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter! Yeah, I just **had** to put in a Transformers cameo. I thought it'd b a fun tribute. Enjoy the new chapter, and I can hardly wait for new chapters of "Apokolips Deferred"!_

**Disclaimer: "What is the _matter_ with all of you? Don't you _understand_ this man is crazy?" - Richard Dreyfus as Dr. Leo Marvin, What About Bob?**

Chapter 16: Final Battle!

**Cyberopolis**

"Oh Saints…" Theresa gulped. With a huge KABLAM, Hi-Tech and Virus collided into each other, and started grappling.

"Kyle would really enjoy this." Rahne noted.

"Hey John! Look up, man! This is **awesome!**" Ace whooped.

"I don't wanna…" John whimpered. Ace blinked at the Apache mutant. He then turned to Siryn, who was circling the three jets.

"Yo, Terry! Maybe we should set down. I don't think Birdy-Boy can take being in the air anymore."

"HEY!" John yelled.

"Alright." Theresa nodded. She grabbed Rahne. "I'll come pick ye and John up on a couple more passes." Ace looked down at the ground and smiled.

"It's okay, babe. I'm cool." Ace let go of his rope and fell.

"ACE!" Theresa screamed. However, her worry wasn't needed. Partway down, an instinct that came with the cat-like DNA of one Ace Starr kicked in. Wildstar's body twisted and turned in mid-air, and he did a perfect ten-point landing on the ground. Ace, just like a cat, had fallen from a great height, and landed safely on his feet! He grinned and waved up at the Irish girl.

"I'm okay!"

"I should've known Ace could do that." Theresa shook her head. Meanwhile, as she brought down Rahne and John, the battle between Virus and Hi-Tech continued.

"THIS IS **MY WORLD!**" Virus roared. He blasted Hi-Tech with a stream of atomic green flame. It knocked the Joe operations support specialist backwards. "HERE, I'M A GOD!"

"Yak, yak, yak." Hi-Tech pointed his fist at Virus. It launched right off his arm like a rocket. The fist nailed Virus right in the nose, causing him to fall on his butt and over several skyscrapers.

"LAND!" John yelled when Theresa put him down. The Apache mutant laid down on his stomach and started kissing the ground.

"Dislikes being in the air much?" Ace smirked as he watched John make a monkey out of himself.

"Those planes are going to take on Virus!" Rahne noticed.

"It's up to Hi-Tech now." Theresa sighed. The gray, white, and red Starscream jet started wailing on Virus with laser beams.

"NYARGH!" Virus roared as he tried to swat at the jets. "Bloody planes." Virus swatted at the black, purple, and white Skywarp jet, but the jet disappeared before it could be hit. "WHAT?" The Skywarp jet appeared behind Virus and blasted him. "AAAAARGH!" The blue, white, and red Thundercracker jet flew towards Virus, seemingly on a collision course.

_COVER YOUR EARS!_ Hi-Tech yelled out at the four West Coast Misfits. They immediately did so. The Thundercracker jet pulled up, and created a huge sonic boom.

"ARRRRRGH!" Virus covered his ears.

"WHOA!" John blinked.

"Hey Siryn, I bet you can't do _that_ with your powers!" Ace snickered. Theresa rolled her eyes.

"Oh, shut up." The Irish blonde said.

"My turn!" Hi-Tech grinned. His shell sprouted a pair of jet engines, which he used to fly into the air. Once he got up to a high height and far distance, he withdrew his limbs into his shell. Jet engines popped out in his place. Their ignition caused the shell to spin at high speeds like a top.

"Wow." Rahne blinked. "That is amazing!"

"Here in the virtual world, Hi-Tech's power is only limited by his imagination." John explained.

"He thinks it, he can be it." Ace translated. The spinning shell slammed into Virus, creating a huge kaboom. The spinning shell sliced into Virus's armored body like a buzzsaw, causing the English mutant to cry out in pain.

"Eew, that's gotta hurt." Ace winced.

"YEAH! GIVE IT TO HIM!" John yelled out in encouragement.

"You've been a bad monkey!" Hi-Tech laughed. He landed and a whole bunch of weapons popped out of his shell. "Hasta la Vista, baby!" He teased in an Arnold voice. Hi-Tech's shell fired a whole bunch of lasers and missiles at Virus, hitting him in a huge explosion.

"Oh my God!" Rahne screamed.

"Can you say 'Cheesy Power Rangers ripoff'?" John muttered. The explosion cleared up, revealing a charred-up Virus.

"You…will…dieeeeeee…" Virus coughed. Then he passed out.

"That was anti-climatic." Rahne blinked.

"I don't care. Let's just go home." Thunderbird grumbled.

**Malibu Base, an hour later**

"Ahhh…" John smiled as he laid back on an inflatable recliner in the West Coast Misfit pool. "It's good to be back home."

"I'll say." Theresa smiled as she caught some rays.

"Right now, I just want to relax." Rahne smiled before going into her wolf form, jumping on a chair, and starting to snooze.

"Here, here." Ace agreed, typing on a laptop computer.

"You guys!" Kyle Wildfire ran out to the pool, accompanied by Terrell and Rictor. The surprise caused Rahne to shift back to her human state. "You jabronis have **got** to go to Nick's Arcade! Nick's got this new virtual reality video game! It rocks!"

"NO WAY!" John, Theresa, Ace, and Rahne snapped.

Well, well, well! Looks like our heroes just want to relax! What insanity will happen down the line? What further adventures will our heroes get into? Find out soon! This is L1701E, saying thanks for reading!


End file.
